Lunchbox 101

Karen Kolp

Monday

Aug 27, 2007 at 12:01 AMAug 27, 2007 at 6:03 AM

Is anybody out there nervous about how well your kids eat at school? I was when my oldest, Max – noted for his hatred of sandwiches - started first grade. I worried especially because his mood is closely tied to how hungry or thirsty he is; without a good lunch, afternoons can be meltdown city.

After some trial and error – and a note from Max that read “Der Mom Pls snd GOODE food for lnch???” - we managed to find nutritionally decent options that pass the “edible” test. Here are some tips from the seasoned parent of a picky eater:

Is anybody out there nervous about how well your kids eat at school? I was when my oldest, Max – noted for his hatred of sandwiches - started first grade. I worried especially because his mood is closely tied to how hungry or thirsty he is; without a good lunch, afternoons can be meltdown city.

After some trial and error – and a note from Max that read “Der Mom Pls snd GOODE food for lnch???” - we managed to find nutritionally decent options that pass the “edible” test. Here are some tips from the seasoned parent of a picky eater:

· Before we even get to the food, I’d like you, dear reader, to consider training your child to bring home bags and containers, along with any uneaten food. That way, you can monitor what is/isn’t getting eaten, and talk with your child about necessary changes that will lead to empty containers coming home in the lunch bag. Also, you can reuse the containers, conserving plastic over the course of the year (be safe, though – don’t reuse baggies that contained meat, and wash containers in hot soapy water or the dishwasher).

· Max’s pediatrician says that protein, fruits and vegetables are the three most important foods for kids to eat; with that in mind, I think of carbohydrates (bread, cereal, etc.) as kind of a vehicle for these foods. For a child who looks upon a sandwich as a tasty lunch rather than an instrument of torture, there are many possibilities: peanut (or almond or cashew) butter and banana, ham and cheese, a cream cheese or jam sandwich with string cheese alongside. Whole wheat bread will provide a bit of protein itself, as well as fiber, to make the lunch even more nutritious.

· Non-sandwich options abound: Dry cereal and blueberries in a resealable bowl-type container combine with a thermos full of milk to make a healthy lunch. Or, try whole-grain crackers spread with nut butter, or cream cheese, and a handful of nuts or a hard-boiled egg, with orange slices on the side. Homemade muffins or scones can be a nutritious choice; tweak your child’s high-fat favorites by substituting applesauce for half the butter or oil, cutting back on the sugar, and adding fruit such as blueberries, apples, or raisins.

· Veggies and dip make a great lunch side dish.

· Rather than cookies or a brownie for dessert, encourage your child to think of fruit as dessert – berries mixed with yogurt, an apple with pumpkin butter, or a banana with sweet yogurt cheese (see my recipe below) all make a delicious ending to a meal.

· Keeping Max hydrated at school is a challenge; there’s so much to do that he forgets to drink up! The best way that I found to encourage him to get his fluids was to provide both a thermos for lunch, and a water bottle for him to sip during the rest of the day; anything left in the bottle is finished at home with the after-school snack.

· Varying the contents of lunch every day will keep your child from getting bored – ever read Bread and Jam for Frances? - and provide the broadest nutritional palette possible. But please note that changing from cheese crackers to potato sticks isn’t what I mean; I’m talking about switching out blueberries for peaches, carrots for sweet peppers, a (healthy) muffin for PB and J. Try squeezing as many different-colored foods as possible into your child’s lunch every day, to make sure that s/he eats well.

Above all, treat lunch at school as a kind of fun experiment, something you and your child are in on together. With luck, the note that comes home in your child’s lunchbox will read: “Der mom an dad grate lnch THAK YUO!!

Next month: Go Out and Pick Some Apples!

Yogurt Cheese

Enjoy this delicious, nutritious, take-along snack with fruit slices, crackers, or bread. It’s wonderful for school lunches, picnics, or right in your own backyard! If you prefer savory cheese, substitute 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley (or 1 tsp dried) and ¼ -tsp garlic powder for the sugar and vanilla (or cinnamon) in this recipe. Grown-ups might also enjoy the savory version spread on crackers with hot-pepper jelly!

2 cups plain yogurt (for best results, use the whole-milk variety)

cheesecloth-lined colander, placed over a big bowl

1 tbsp sugar

¼ tsp vanilla OR cinnamon, whichever taste you prefer

1) Place yogurt into cheesecloth-lined colander, cover with plastic wrap. Put the colander into a bowl large enough to contain the liquid (whey) drained from the yogurt. Place in the fridge, let stand overnight or until most of the whey is drained out, and yogurt is the consistency of soft cheese.

2) Move cheese into a bowl, add sugar and vanilla or cinnamon. Stir well and enjoy!

Karen Kolp is the author of “The Old-Fashioned Kitchen of the Future: Eat Well without Convenience Foods,” a cookbook-in-progress. She lives in Bellingham with her husband and their two young boys.

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